Workers kick against BRT, LAGBUS fare hike

Workers of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday rejected the increment in transport fare of Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) and LAGBUS buses approved by the Lagos State government.

The orgainsed labour unions described the act as being wicked to workers as there was no corresponding increase in salary, not minding the present biting recession in the country. The TUC, therefore, called on the governor to “correct his mistake by withdrawing the approval immediately.”

The Lagos State TUC Chairman, Francis Ogunremi, said the increment has come at no good time for the state because the country is presently faced with so much hardship that people are striving to survive.

“The BRT and LAGBUS are monopolistic undertakings of some private individuals and moneybags, who contrary to fair practice are unduly allocated a section of the public road to the detriment of other stakeholders in the transport business.

“We submit that the business is viable at the prevailing fares due to the untenable principle of monopoly, as the single largest transport system at the heart of Lagos. We, therefore, call for the reversal of the announcement made by the managing director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mr. Abiodun Dabiri,” he said.

In another development, the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAM), yesterday staged a protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly over the new environmental bill before the House.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr. Olalekan Owojori, said the new investment the government needed was in the area of dumpsites and landfills and not collection and transportation of waste.

The fact that something is a monopoly doesn’t make it profitable at the old price? The reality is that diesel which was N140 is now N260!! The real issue is that salaries need to go up and not that the fares need to come down!!

Kingsley

Very correct! salaries need to go up! how about those that are not even on salaries i.e. the applicants, entrepreneurs, private sector workers etc any palliatives for them?…. i doubt! then the fares should NOT go up; govt should bear the incremental cost! the current fares can still accommodate these incremental cost just that the PROFIT MARGIN will go down which “some private individuals and moneybags” are frowning at. we known them and their proxies and God is watching